‘Dora’ may change an entire generation

By Sigal Ratner-Arias THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Saturday

Aug 28, 2010 at 12:19 AMAug 28, 2010 at 2:02 PM

Don’t underestimate her just because she’s a little girl. “Dora The Explorer” is a multibillion-dollar franchise that may be creating a more enlightened generation, more open to different people and cultures not their own.

Ten years have passed since the Latina Dora became the first bilingual heroine of children’s TV and conquered the hearts of kids around the world. Nickelodeon has celebrated the anniversary with a one-hour special that features the voices of Rosie Perez, John Leguizamo and Hector Elizondo, and a documentary with comments from Dora herself, the series’ creators, experts from the industry, real-life kids and celebrities such as Salma Hayek and Shakira.

“I think that the fact that kids are identifying with a kid with darker color skin that speaks another language (shows they are more open),” said Chris Gifford, one of the show’s creators and executive producers. “Kids want their parents to read them the books and watch Dora with them. ... That’s what it’s about.”

“Dora The Explorer” is seen today in 151 markets and is translated to 30 languages. In English-speaking countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland, Dora teaches Spanish; in other markets — including the Hispanic U.S. markets — the adventurous little girl teaches English.

According to Nickelodeon, “Dora” has generated more than $11 billion in worldwide sales since 2002, having sold 65 million units of Fisher Price Dora the Explorer toys, 50 million books and more than 20 million DVDs worldwide. In France, publishing house Albin Michel has sold more than 12 million educational Dora books since its launch — or one Dora book for every child in France, the network points out.

Yet, the original idea for the show had nothing to do with a bilingual girl.

“She didn’t start as a Latina or a heroine — she was a forest animal,” said co-creator and executive producer Valerie Walsh Valdes. “Nickelodeon actually asked us to consider making her a Latina because a recent study said that there were no positive bilingual characters on children’s television.”

So producers turned to such experts as historian Carlos E. Cortes, author of “The Children Are Watching” and “The Making — and Remaking — of a Multiculturalist.”

“He was absolutely instrumental in helping us find the best way to put Dora forward in terms of culture,” said Gifford. Cortes advised that Dora should always be inclusive, so producers decided not to give her a particular country of origin.

“I am delighted with the way ‘Dora’ has come out, particularly the impact it seems to be having in young people,” said Cortes, professor emeritus of history at the University of California at Riverside. “The Latino kids take pride having Dora as a lead character and non-Latino kids can embrace someone different.”

“I think that Dora has a very specific special relationship with kids at home, not necessarily for being bilingual but as a powerful character who invites kids on adventures,” says Brown Johnson, president of Animation, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group. “Here, Spanish words open doors.”

Each episode relies on the advice of educators and cultural experts, and can take more than a year to produce, in part because not one gets to the air without first being screened in front of the most honest and feared jury: at least 75 children. “Just the heartbreak to see those kids disappointed! We really take it personally. ... These 3 year olds,” Gifford said. They really listen to the children, said Walsh Valdes.

Dora’s voice has been portrayed the last three years by Caitlin Sanchez. The 14-year-old succeeded the original voice of Dora, Kathleen Herles, when she left to go to college.

“It’s really an honor to play an icon,” said Sanchez, who enjoys making the voice of the Latina idol in front of her little fans, who immediately recognize it: “It’s Dora!” “She’s got Dora inside her mouth!”

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